The Adventures of Bianca Auditore
by i never did tell you
Summary: Sent for by her uncle, Ezio, Bianca sets out to Constantinople to fill in as a den leader. However, things don't quite go as Ezio planned when Bianca meets Yusuf... Rating may change later. Yusuf X OC


The captain of the ship watched the woman with a look of pity as she wretched over the side of the boat. She obviously hadn't broken in her sea legs yet, even though they'd been sailing for about two weeks. He could see from the way she was dressed that she wasn't just another tourist – she was headed to Constantinople for business.

She wore dark grey robes that skirted her ankles and grew shorter as they reached more frontward on her body. Instead of a skirt like most women would wear, she'd put on a pair of brown, loose trousers and leather boots with what looked like metal armor. A red sash was tied around the woman's waist, and it seemed to cover a sheath for a long sword. He took note of the knives she had attached to her, too. Her sleeves were long and the same grey as the tails of her coat, with a long red strip on the outside of her arm, which was cut off by gauntlets that covered most of her forearms. A strange symbol was engraved on both of them, one he knew not the meaning of.

But the thing that had mostly tipped off that she wasn't on the boat for leisure was the cowl that kept her face shaded and, therefore, hidden. The high collar of her shirt also added the extra protection of being recognised from the side.

He had no clue who – or what – she was, but, even though she was armed from head to toe, he couldn't help but feel like she was vulnerable on this boat.

He made his way to her side, and patted her shoulder lightly.

"Do not worry; we're almost at our destination. Keep your eyes on the horizon, girl." He offered her a comforting smile, which she returned weakly when she looked up at him.

"_Grazie Dio. _I was beginning to think I'd _die _on this boat," she replied hoarsely, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.

"I wouldn't let that happen," chuckled the captain. "If you look, you can see the city already. We are about five minutes from docking."

"Those five minutes will seem like five eternities!" she told him. "When we reach land, I am never setting foot on another boat ever again."

He laughed. "Is this your first time on a ship?"

She nodded. _"Si: m_y first _and_ my last time."

"It's never a good idea to start off taking a long journey if you've never been on a ship before then. You boarded in Venice, did you not? I would have thought that you'd surely taken a boat before…"

"No, I am native to Rome_. _We only have the Tiber there, and, to be perfectly honest, you do _not _want to put a boat in _that. _I was in Venice only to get on this boat. I didn't think I'd end up being _this _sick for _this _long…"

He nodded in understanding. "You'll have to take ferries from district to district here in Istanbul, though. Unless you want to swim, but it _is _quite the swim…"

She cursed under her breath. "Well, it's settled. I am going to die on a boat."

"You'll get used to it, miss. And you will find that Constantinople is a wonderful city that you will grow to love. She's full of mysteries and adventures."

Though he could barely see her face, he _could _see her lips, and they were curved into a smile. "_Grazie._ I appreciate that you are trying to make me feel better – not many men here would want to talk to a woman who can't keep a meal down for more than five minutes."

"It is no problem."

Just as he said that, the boat pulled into the docks, and some crew members lowered a plank and hopped off the side of the boat, beginning to tie ropes to notches to keep the boat from floating away.

"_Finally!_" she cheered quietly, lowering her hood.

He took a moment to study her now unveiled face – pale skin (not surprising to him, since she had been vomiting frequently), high cheekbones, many freckles (unusual for an Italian), and strange golden eyes. Her hair was dark brown, making her seem even fairer.

"Thank you, _messer. _It was good to meet you."

As she turned to leave, he tapped her shoulder. "I never did catch your name," he said.

She chuckled. "My name is Bianca Auditore."

"Well, Bianca, if you're ever on my ship again, I will see to that you are never without company. Or a bucket."

She laughed. "Thank you again, _messer_…" He smiled at her and turned to head back into the captain's deck.

With those parting words, and a look of relief on her face, she rushed off the boat, across the docks, and collapsed to the solid ground, where she sprawled out and laughed. "Oh, I am never going near another ocean ever again!" Bianca couldn't have been happier to leave the boat.

She reached for her flask, and took some of the water into her mouth, trying to rinse out the flavor of her last meal, and spat it off the edge, sighing. She was so happy just to be touching dirt and sand and rock again that she hadn't even noticed the man with similar grey robes standing not too far away from her.

A taller, older man with a salt-and-peppered beard had an amused smirk on his face. He leaned against the wall of a tailor's shop, watching the girl and waiting for her to realise he was there.

Had he known she would have hated being on a boat for so long, he would have gone to retrieve her and take the ride with her.

"Poor girl," he chuckled to himself. Finished with waiting, he walked over, his footsteps nearly silent on the pavement. It seemed, however, Bianca had heard him, as her head snapped in his direction, and a wide grin spread on her face.

"Trying to sneak up on me, old man?" she giggled, rising to her feet, though a little unsteadily.

"Who are you calling old?" replied Ezio playfully, giving her a half-heartedly sharp look. He opened his arms wide, and she walked right into his embrace. "It is good to see you, my niece."

"And you, uncle," she said, hugging him tightly. "It's been far too long."

"Too long indeed. That is why I called you here."

"Because you missed me?" she chuckled, pulling away and holding him at arm's length. "Or because you've grown old, and you wanted to see me before you retired into the shadows, only to become a grumpy old man who won't eat anything but bread and cheese?"

Ezio rolled his eyes. "Because I need your help here in Constantinople. I'm short on den leaders."

"So you _didn't _miss me? I'm wounded!" she sighed, feigning a hurt look.

Her uncle shook his head at her antics. "Silly girl, of course I missed you. You're my favorite niece."

"I'm your _only _niece."

"Precisely."

Bianca rolled her eyes. "Just take me to headquarters. I'd like to meet the others, if that's alright with you."

"But what about me? You haven't seen me for three years; do you not want to spend time with your dear, old uncle?"

"I suppose I should," she smiled, "you _are _withering as we speak…"

He laughed. "Ah, I have much time left – you're right, you should meet the other assassin's and the recruits. Come, I will show you to the headquarters.

"You're lucky we're in the Galata district, by the way," he said. "Otherwise, you would have had to take another boat."

"Thank _God._"

She walked next to her uncle, and they chatted happily. Ezio pointed out landmarks and places to go to stitch up her robes or repair her armor, decent food vendors, and, when they finally stopped, Ezio patted her shoulder lightly.

"Here we are, then."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Really?"

"_Si. _Just go inside."

She looked at the door, and Ezio watched as her eyes flashed a lighter golden color, and then back to the original honey. He chuckled. "Must you really use Eagle Vision?"

"I wasn't certain."

"You don't _trust _me? I'm offended!" Ezio exclaimed, opening the door for her. Bianca shook her head and walked in.

Her eyes widened in complete shock. "_Dio._"

The HQ was definitely bigger on the inside. The first thing she saw was the long bridge leading from the entrance to what could have been a living room – many assassins were seated there, talking and paying no mind to the new visitor or the mentor. From there, there were many rooms, with many more people walking in and out of them. She could smell the faint scent of smoke, and something that smelled of gunpowder. Did they carry around rifles, or did they have the compact, hidden pistols like the Italians?

The second thing she noticed was the abundance of banners bearing the assassin's symbol. Hanging from the cavernous ceiling, the stone walls, over doorways… everywhere.

The third thing she laid her eyes on was a man strolling across the bridge with such a great amount of confidence that she could almost see it leaking off him.

"Ezio! You've come back!" said the man, spreading his arms in welcome. From where Bianca was standing, she noticed blue eyes, a crooked nose (though not unattractive), and black, wavy hair. He was tall, far taller than her, and a little more than her uncle. His beard was shorter than Ezio's, and much darker, too – this man was obviously younger.

She watched as the Turk embraced her kin, and folded her hands behind her back, looking around awkwardly.

"And who," said the man, his voice low, "is this?"

Bianca looked up at him, and he smiled a little at her. Not in an uncomfortable way – no, this was out of kindness.

"This is Bianca," Ezio said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Bianca," the man repeated, offering his hand. "My name is Yusuf Tazim."

She blinked a little, then took the offered hand, hardly noticing how just one of his nearly covered the entirety of her own hand.

They shook, but when they finished, Yusuf didn't let go, and, finding her tongue glued to the top of her mouth, she simply smiled at him.

"So, tell me, Bianca," said Yusuf, moving a little closer. "Has Ezio shown you around the city yet?"

"No, he has not," she replied, finally finding her words. "Could you, ah, let go of me?" She blushed lightly, which seemed to amuse the Turk as he released her small hand.

"You know, there's nobody in Istanbul who knows the city better than I do... "

"Oh, don't start, Yusuf," Ezio grumbled.

Completely ignoring him, he continued. "I'd be glad to take you on a tour."

Before Bianca could accept the invitation, her uncle stepped in and put his arm around her shoulder. "Actually, _I _was going to show _my niece _around."

At that, Yusuf's eyebrows shot up. "Your niece?"

Ezio and Bianca nodded in synchronization.

The younger man shook his head. "Really?"

"Yes," replied Ezio, still holding his protective demeanor.

"_Really?_ I don't see it. The eyes, maybe, and her hair's a tad more red than yours… that's where the resemblance ends."

"I look like my father," Bianca explained, growing more comfortable in his presence. "He was an Englishman, and smaller than my mother."

"Ah, I see," Yusuf said, scratching his beard lightly. "Anyway, Bianca, if you need a guide…" He gave her a bright smile, and she realized just how handsome the man was.

"I'm sure I will," she promised, smiling back. "Maybe now…?"

Ezio gave her a sharp look. "I don't think so."

Bianca rolled her eyes. "OK, maybe later."

Yusuf chuckled. "I'm going to hold you up to that promise." With a wink, he sauntered off, and Bianca watched him leave with a dreamy smile.

Ezio grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her along behind him. "I'll show you to your den, then," he said, an annoyed expression on his face as Bianca looked over her shoulder at Yusuf, who was also looking at her.

She sent him a quick smile before she shut the door behind her.


End file.
